Answers about chronology

What date was the Flood?

This is a difficult question because there is no archaeological or geological evidence that can be used to date the Flood, and the Bible provides very little chronological information prior to Abraham. Abraham is usually dated at about 2000 BC. In my book, The Times: a Chronology of the Bible, I argue for 1946BC as [...]

Topics: ,

Why did God allow for translational inconsistencies in 2 Kings 24:8 & 2 Chronicles 36:9; 2 Kings 8:26 & 2 Chronicles 22:2; and 2 Samuel 10:18 & 1 Chronicles 19:18?

2Ki 24:8  Jehoiachin was eighteen years old when he became king, and he reigned three months in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Nehushta the daughter of Elnathan of Jerusalem. 2Ch 36:9 KJV  Jehoiachin was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned three months and ten days in Jerusalem: and he did [...]

Topics: , , , ,

When was Sodom destroyed?

There are two ways of approaching this question — using biblical chronological information to establish an approximate date for the event, or using whatever archaeological information is available that might suggest a destruction date. Unfortunately there is very little archaeological evidence available, although that hasn’t stopped people using what is there to suggest possible dates. [...]

Topics: , , ,

When did Jesus raise Jairus’ daughter?

The full question was: “I have read that Jesus healed Jairus’ daughter a week before Jesus’ death on the cross. Since Jairus was a leader/ruler in the synagogue, is there any record of Jairus supporting Jesus during his trial or execution? You would think that Jairus would go to extreme efforts to support Jesus since [...]

Topics: , ,

How many days or years was it from when Israel left Egypt until the law was written?

Exodus gives us some time markers in the description of the people of Israel in the wilderness. In the third month after the Israelites went out from the land of Egypt, on the very day, they came to the Desert of Sinai. After they journeyed from Rephidim, they came to the Desert of Sinai, and [...]

Topics: , , , ,

How long between the deaths of Jacob and Joseph?

54 years. Joseph entered the service of Pharaoh at the age of 30 (Gen 41:46). He remained there for seven years of plenty and two years of famine before revealing himself to his brothers (Gen 41:48; 45:6). So Joseph was 39 when his family moved to Egypt. Jacob was 130 (Gen 47:9). This means Jacob [...]

Topics: , ,

How many years passed between Abraham and Moses?

There was approximately 420 years between their births. Abraham was born in about 1946 BC and died in about 1771 BC. Moses was born in about 1526 BC and died in about 1406 BC. Consequently, there was about 245 years between the death of Abraham and the birth of Moses. See “The Times: a chronology [...]

Topics: , ,

How old was Jonathan when he met David?

We are not told the age of Jonathan, but we can figure it out approximately. Here are the relevant facts: David reigned in Hebron for 7.5 years (2 Sam 5:4-5), beginning from the time Saul and Jonathan died. Saul’s youngest son, Ishbosheth, reigned for the last two of those years, and died at age 42 [...]

Topics: ,

How long did it take Joseph’s brothers to take his bones to Canaan?

It wasn’t Joseph’s brothers who took his bones to Canaan, as they had long since died. It was the people of Israel, the descendants of Joseph and his brothers. The chronology of this period is outlined in my book The Times: a Chronology of the Bible, chapter 3. Joseph died in about 1585 BC. The Israelites [...]

Topics: , ,

How many times did Paul visit Corinth?

Paul’s first visit to Corinth was in AD50 and is described in Acts 18:1-18. Some time later, probably around AD55, it seems he made another visit to Corinth, foreshadowed in 1 Corinthians 4:19; 16:5-8. It is often described as his “painful visit” because of Paul’s later comment in 2 Corinthians 2:1. His third visit is mentioned in [...]

Topics: , ,